Motor control center with enhanced circuit disconnect

ABSTRACT

A system may include a power supply that generates a first voltage. The power supply may couple upstream from an electrical load. The electrical load may operate based at least in part on the first voltage. In some cases, a solid-state circuit breaker may be coupled between the power supply and the electrical load. Furthermore, a control system may be communicatively coupled to the power supply, the electrical load, and the solid-state circuit breaker. The control system may receive an operational status from the solid-state circuit breaker and may update a visualization rendered on a graphical user interface based at least in part on the operational status. The operational status may indicate an operation of the solid-state circuit breaker coupling the power supply to the electrical load.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No.16/797,817, entitled “MOTOR CONTROL CENTER WITH ENHANCED CIRCUITDISCONNECT,” filed Feb. 21, 2020, which is incorporated by referenceherein in its entirety for all purposes.

BACKGROUND

This disclosure relates generally to systems and methods for circuitbreakers used within industrial automation systems. More specifically,the present disclosure discusses a solid-state circuit breaker, whichmay be used to protect a portion of an industrial automation system.

This section is intended to introduce the reader to various aspects ofart that may be related to various aspects of the present techniques,which are described and/or claimed below. This discussion is believed tobe helpful in providing the reader with background information tofacilitate a better understanding of the various aspects of the presentdisclosure. Accordingly, it should be understood that these statementsare to be read in this light, and not as admissions of prior art.

An industrial automation system may include a variety of componentsassociated with different types of motors and motor-driveconfigurations. For example, different motor-drive configurations mayuse different types of protection and electrical isolation systems toprotect various electrical components connected to a motor-drive systemfrom certain overvoltage and/or overcurrent situations. To effectivelyprotect and operate a variety of types of motors and electrical systemsin an industrial automation system, circuit breakers may be includedbetween an electrical load (e.g., a motor) and a power supply.

SUMMARY

A summary of certain embodiments disclosed herein is set forth below. Itshould be understood that these aspects are presented merely to providethe reader with a brief summary of these certain embodiments and thatthese aspects are not intended to limit the scope of this presentdisclosure. Indeed, this present disclosure may encompass a variety ofaspects that may not be set forth below.

In one embodiment, a system may include a power supply that generates afirst voltage. The power supply may couple upstream from an electricalload. The electrical load may operate based at least in part on thefirst voltage. In some cases, a solid-state circuit breaker may becoupled between the power supply and the electrical load. Furthermore, acontrol system may be communicatively coupled to the power supply, theelectrical load, and the solid-state circuit breaker. The control systemmay receive an operational status from the solid-state circuit breakerand may update a visualization rendered on a graphical user interfacebased at least in part on the operational status. The operational statusmay indicate an operation of the solid-state circuit breaker couplingthe power supply to the electrical load.

In another embodiment, a method may include receiving, by a processor, arequest to initiate a soft-start operation for a solid-state circuitbreaker according to a start-up profile of an electrical load; sending,by the processor, one or more commands to the solid-state circuitbreaker to initiate the soft-start operation; receiving, by theprocessor, one or more operational statuses from the solid-state circuitbreaker during the soft-start operation of the solid-state circuitbreaker; and adjusting, by the processor, an operation of thesolid-state circuit breaker during the soft-start operation in responseto the one or more operational statuses being greater than an expectedvalue. The adjusting of the operation of the solid-state circuit breakermay include changing a value corresponding to one of the plurality ofoperational statuses to the expected value.

In yet another embodiment, a tangible, non-transitory computer-readablemedium may store instructions executable by a processor of controldevice associated with a sensing device that, when executed by theprocessor, cause the control device to perform operations includingtransmitting a first control signal to the sensing device. Theoperations may include the control device receiving sensing data fromthe sensing device in response to the first control signal andgenerating an operational status based at least in part on the sensingdata. The operational status may indicate a state of a solid-statecircuit breaker during an ongoing soft-start operation. The operationsmay include the control device transmitting the operational status to acontrol system and receiving one or more control commands from thecontrol system. In some cases, the control system may determine the oneor more control commands based at least in part on the operationalstatus and an expected operational status. The operations may includethe control device transmitting a second control signal to a portion ofthe solid-state circuit breaker to adjust an operation of thesolid-state circuit breaker, where adjusting the operation of thesolid-state circuit breaker may include changing a value correspondingto one of the operational status to an expected value corresponding tothe expected operational status.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

These and other features, aspects, and advantages of the presentdisclosure will become better understood when the following detaileddescription is read with reference to the accompanying drawings in whichlike characters represent like parts throughout the drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a load-feeder system protected by asolid-state circuit breaker, in accordance with an embodiment;

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a motor-feeder system protected by thesolid-state circuit breaker of FIG. 1, in accordance with an embodiment;

FIG. 3 is a block diagram of non-motor-feeder system protected by directcurrent (DC) solid-state circuit breaker, in accordance with anembodiment; and

FIG. 4 is a method for operating the solid-state circuit breaker of FIG.1 as part of a soft-start operation, in accordance with an embodiment;

FIG. 5 is a block diagram of a first starter system and a second startersystem that uses the solid-state circuit breaker of FIG. 1 to control amotor, in accordance with an embodiment;

FIG. 6 is a block diagram of a first reversing starter system and asecond reversing starter system that uses the solid-state circuitbreaker of FIG. 1 to control a motor, in accordance with an embodiment;

FIG. 7 is an illustration of a housing unit for the solid-state circuitbreaker of FIG. 1, in accordance with an embodiment;

FIG. 8 is an illustration of a cabinet that includes the housing unit ofFIG. 7 and the solid-state circuit breaker of FIG. 1, in accordance withan embodiment;

FIG. 9 is an illustration of the housing unit of FIG. 7 and thesolid-state circuit breaker of FIG. 1, in accordance with an embodiment;and

FIG. 10 is an illustration of an enclosure that includes the housingunit of FIG. 7 and the solid-state circuit breaker of FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

One or more specific embodiments of the present disclosure will bedescribed below. In an effort to provide a concise description of theseembodiments, all features of an actual implementation may not bedescribed in the specification. It should be appreciated that in thedevelopment of any such actual implementation, as in any engineering ordesign project, numerous implementation-specific decisions must be madeto achieve the developers' specific goals, such as compliance withsystem-related and business-related constraints, which may vary from oneimplementation to another. Moreover, it should be appreciated that sucha development effort might be complex and time consuming, but wouldnevertheless be a routine undertaking of design, fabrication, andmanufacture for those of ordinary skill having the benefit of thispresent disclosure.

When introducing elements of various embodiments of the presentdisclosure, the articles “a,” “an,” “the,” and “said” are intended tomean that there are one or more of the elements. The terms “comprising,”“including,” and “having” are intended to be inclusive and mean thatthere may be additional elements other than the listed elements.

The present disclosure is generally directed toward techniques forimproving operation of an industrial automation system, and specificallyto improving protective circuitry used to protect an electrical loadfrom undesired operating conditions, such as an overvoltage and/or anovercurrent operating condition. Technological advances in integratedcircuit technology have enabled solid-state circuitries, such as carbonnanotubes and/or silicon-carbide-based circuitry (SiC-based circuitry),to replace other semiconductor devices within an industrial automationsystem. Indeed, barriers to using SiC semiconductors have includedcommercial price and volatility of materials used to form SiCsemiconductors, conduction losses associated with driving SiCsemiconductors, and heat dissipation challenges associated with drivingSiC semiconductors. Furthermore, some SiC semiconductors have conductionlosses and heat dissipation challenges that may make devices formed fromSiC semiconductors inefficient. Nevertheless, by employing the SiCsemiconductors to perform the operations described herein, the benefitsachieved in various industrial application may outweigh the drawbacksthat are attributed to the barriers discussed above.

In general, protective circuitry built from SiC semiconductor devicesmay be capable of operating at higher temperatures and/or highercurrents relative to traditional systems that do not use SiCsemiconductor devices. Semiconductor devices have proved to bechallenging to incorporate into circuitries described below due toproperties such as, limited thermal conductivity, limited switchingfrequencies, a relatively low band gap energy, and high-power losses.Thus, protective circuitry, such as circuit breakers, have avoided theuse of solid-state circuitry in favor of other protective devices, suchas mechanical circuit breakers, fuses, and the like. Devices that usesilicon carbide (SiC) semiconductor devices (e.g., SiC insulated-gatebipolar transistors (IGBT), SiC metal-oxide semiconductor field-effecttransistor (MOSFET), or other suitable transistor), however, may haverelatively improved performance when compared to other types orprotective circuitries. For example, protective circuitry that uses aSiC semiconductor device may be capable of withstanding higher voltages(e.g., 10× higher) than other semiconductor devices. This feature mayallow the SiC semiconductor to be employed as protection circuitry, asdescribed in more detail below, for industrial applications, whichoperation in medium to high voltage ranges. Moreover, SiC semiconductordevices may operate under higher ambient temperature conditions, ascompared to other semiconductor devices, thereby enabling the SiCsemiconductor devices to maintain its reliability while operating inindustrial environments.

In addition, as will be detailed below, the protection circuitry used invarious industrial applications rely on multiple components to performdistinct functions. Each of these components are incorporated into thedesign of enclosures used to house the components. As a result, thehousing may become larger as more protection circuit components are usedto protect various parts of the industrial system. By performing theembodiments described herein, the functionalities of these separatecomponents may be integrated into the SiC semiconductor devices toreduce the form factor or size of the enclosures previously used tohouse the protection circuit components. The reduced size attributes forthe various types of protection circuitries may enable the industrialautomation systems to perform in more confined areas. Moreover, althoughthe costs associated with the SiC semiconductor devices may continue todeter use of SiC semiconductor devices in certain industrialapplications, by employing the embodiments described herein, the SiCsemiconductor devices may be used to efficiently replace a number ofcomponents to allow operations to be controlled in a more effectivemanner in a limited amount of space.

An example protective device that includes SiC semiconductor devices maybe a solid-state circuit breaker. Solid-state circuit breakers mayprovide the particular advantage of not using mechanical switching toopen or close a circuit. Reducing or eliminating use of mechanicalswitching may reduce a likelihood of arc flash and/or reduce a severityof exposed incident energy if an arc flash were to occur. Whenoccurrences of arc flash are reduced, reliability and lifespans ofsystems using solid-state circuit breakers may improve (e.g., increase).Furthermore, since a likelihood of arc flash may be eliminated and/orreduced when using a solid-state circuit breaker, operators ofsolid-state circuit breakers may reduce a level of personal protectiveequipment (PPE) worn while operating the solid-state circuit breakers,such as the level of PPE worn when restarting (e.g., coupling line-side(or supply-side) to load-side, coupling supply-side to load-side) asolid-state circuit breaker after a trip event of the solid-statecircuit breaker. This may also apply to levels of PPE worn when workingaround or nearby to equipment protected by the solid-state circuitbreaker (e.g., equipment downstream from the solid-state circuitbreaker).

Keeping the foregoing in mind, motor control centers (MCCs) may bedesigned to use solid-state circuit breakers compatible with three-phase(e.g., multi-phase) electrical distribution systems. The solid-statecircuit breakers may be used as an independent electrical feeder (e.g.,main line) and/or as a motor starter, in combination with additionalsolid-state circuit breakers as a motor starter, and/or in similaroperation as a non-solid-state circuit breaker. As such, the solid-statecircuit breaker may be suitable for protection of electrical couplingsbetween a power source or supply for a motor and the motor (e.g., feederbetween a generator and a motor as depicted in FIG. 1), as well as forprotection of electrical couplings between an inverter and a motor(e.g., as overload protection circuitry depicted in FIG. 2). When usingthe solid-state circuit breaker as a motor starter, the solid-statecircuit breaker may be operated to perform a reverse starting operation,a non-reverse (e.g., forward) starting operation, a soft-start startingoperation (e.g., stepped starting operation), and the like.

By definition, a starter that does not implement SiC semiconductortechnologies may include three major components: a galvanicdisconnecting device with branch circuit protection (e.g., a circuitbreaker, fused disconnect switch), a thermal overload protection device(e.g., electronic overload), and an isolating device in the form of acontactor. These three components work together as a starter assemblyfor a motor load (e.g., electric motor circuit), such as a full voltagenon-reversing starter system. For example, each disconnect switch in astarter may operate at a same time to open or close the electricalcircuit to the motor load.

In another embodiment of a starter, such as a full voltage reversingstarter, a second contactor may be added to a circuit of the starter inparallel with a first contactor, providing an electrical phase reversalof two phases feeding the starter (e.g., line 1 (L1), line 3 (L3)). Byinterlocking these contactors and swapping phases, one contactor may beengaged in the “on” position at a given time. As the second contactorhas two electrical phases swapped, the electrical phase rotation is 180degrees different from the first contactor and may drive a motor in thereverse direction.

In the industrial automation system, the starter described above (e.g.,full voltage non-reversing starter) may be replaced by a starter thatuses SiC semiconductors to improve operation of the starter without SiCsemiconductors. For example, the electronic overload device andisolation switch between line-side (e.g., supply-side) and load-side ofthe above-referenced starter (e.g. contactor functionality) may beembedded within a solid-state circuit breaker as a single component.These components, embedded into a single solid-state circuit breaker,may eliminate the contactor and overload components.

By applying a similar manufacturing principle to the full voltagereversing starter, a new starter may be formed by including SiCsemiconductor devices additionally or alternatively to non-SiC devices.For example, the electronic overload device and isolation switches (e.g.contactors) may be embedded within a solid-state circuit breaker, andthe solid-state circuit breaker may use firmware to provide similar orequivalent phase reversal capabilities as the electronic overload deviceand/or isolation switches. These components, as embedded into a singlesolid-state circuit breaker, eliminate the contactors and overloadcomponents.

In these discussed examples of full voltage starters (e.g., reversing,non-reversing), branch circuit protection is provided as a function ofthe solid-state circuit breaker itself. The solid-state circuit breakermay also operate to interrupt its circuit aligned with (e.g., at asuitable frequency, at a suitable response time) various standards ofelectrical governing bodies. Similarly, the solid-state circuit breakermay also operate in response to detection of a short circuit with aresponse time and/or response behavior in accordance with the standardsof electrical governing bodies.

Some solid-state circuit breakers may include an integrated air-gapdisconnect. The integrated air-gap disconnect may permit galvanicisolation between line-side and load-side within the solid-state circuitbreaker as opposed to in line with the solid-state circuit breaker.Control circuitry of the solid-state circuit breaker may utilize theintegrated air-gap disconnect to perform lockout/tagout controloperations. The galvanic isolation protection provided within thesolid-state circuit breaker may be further supplemented by including anadditional circuit breaker and/or fused disconnect switch upstream ofthe solid-state circuit breaker, such as to further decouple thesolid-state circuit breaker from a portion of a circuit. In some cases,the solid-state circuit breaker may be associated with a latch mechanismthat interlocks the solid-state circuit breaker. Interlocking thesolid-state circuit breaker may stop an operator from removing thesolid-state circuit breaker while the solid-state circuit breaker isclosed.

In some cases, a mechanical device may be included within thesolid-state circuit breaker to operate a galvanic disconnecting devicewithin the solid-state circuit breaker additional to or alternative ofthe latch mechanism and/or the fused disconnect switch. Operating thegalvanic disconnecting device into an open position (e.g., such that anair gap is present between metal contacts associated with a line-sideand a load-side of the solid-state circuit breaker) may providemechanical galvanic isolation. It is noted that in some cases thegalvanic disconnecting device implements or is the integrated air-gapdisconnect. The mechanical device may be installed and attached to aphysical disconnect handle that extends to the outside of a motorcontrol center unit or drawer. Operating the physical disconnect handleto cause the mechanical device to operate the galvanic disconnectingdevice may provide a way to physically decouple a supply-side from aload-side of the solid-state circuit breaker. Physically decoupling thesupply-side from the load-side of the solid-state circuit breaker mayreduce a likelihood of arcs occurring during the removal of thesolid-state circuit breaker and/or may be desired in certain maintenanceoperations and/or for unit withdrawal, such as to comply with thevarious electrical governing bodies standards and/or when additionalisolation of the solid-state circuit breaker from an electrical supplyis desired.

By keeping the foregoing in mind, the solid-state circuit breaker mayperform operations of overload protection circuitry, disconnectswitching circuitry, and motor controlling circuitry using circuitrywithin a same physical enclosure, such as when performing starting orsteady state operations. This may permit the three devices (e.g.,overload protection circuitry, disconnect switching circuitry, and motorcontrolling circuitry) to be replaced by the solid-state circuit breakerwithin a starter.

Furthermore, it should be noted that the solid-state circuit breaker maygenerate relatively large amounts of heat during switching operationssince semiconductor materials generally increase in temperature duringoperation. To combat increases in operating temperatures, a thermalmanagement system may be installed within the motor control centerassembly to dissipate and remove heat from the solid-state circuitbreaker and/or from air surrounding the solid-state circuit breaker. Thethermal management system may create a bonded connection to eachsolid-state circuit breaker unit or drawer, thereby providing a pathfrom the bonded connection to dissipate thermal energy. For example, thebonded connection and/or path may cause heat to dissipate through apassive heat sink formed from aluminum or other suitable conductivematerial and/or a heat sink that passively and/or actively involvesconduction, such as using ambient air and/or forced air (e.g., coolingair) to keep equipment at a suitable temperature. In some cases, thephysical thermal connection between the single component starter andthermal management system may be a heat pipe design that passivelyand/or actively involves conduction, such as using ambient air and/orforced air (e.g., cooling air) to keep equipment at a suitabletemperature.

In some cases, a solid-state breaker may also be operated as part of aselective coordination schemes. For example, a group of solid-statebreakers may be logically grouped to protect one or more electricalloads. Two or more protection devices configurable to monitor andprotect against overcurrent and/or overvoltage conditions in tandem maybe said to be selectively coordinated (e.g., operated in accordance withand/or using selective coordination schemes). As such, two or moreselectively coordinated solid-state circuit breakers may work togetherto protect an electrical load from a fault (or otherwise undesiredoperation) by opening the downstream solid-state circuit breakersrelative to the fault before the upstream solid-state circuit breakersresponds to the fault (e.g., by opening).

Furthermore, in some embodiments, a solid-state circuit breaker mayinclude a controller area network (CAN) communicative coupling (e.g.,CANBUS®) and/or an internet protocol (IP)-based communicative coupling,such as an Ethernet IP communicative coupling and/or Ethernet internetprotocol (IP), to a control system. These communicative couplings mayenable the solid-state circuit breaker to directly communicate with thecontrol system (e.g., a microcontroller) without a host computer. Thecommunicative couplings between the solid-state circuit breaker and thecontrol system may be used with a configuration interface. Theconfiguration interface may be a user interface and/or logically-defineddata object (e.g., data table) that permits a control system and/or userto provide and/or update a configuration and/or obtain a status of thesolid-state circuit breaker. In this way, the configuration interfacemay be a data boundary used to translate configurations from devicesexternal to the solid-state circuit breaker to a format readable by thesolid-state circuit breaker and/or to translate statuses from thesolid-state circuit breaker into a format readable by devices externalto the solid-state circuit breaker. Indeed, a graphical user interfacemanaged by the control system may enable a user to enter or adjustconfigurations of the solid-state circuit breaker by changinginformation stored in the configuration interface.

In some embodiments, the configuration interface may perform a formattranslation of data associated with it, such as to change a data type orlength. The configuration interface may be embedded withincomputer-readable medium and executed as software to provide a singlepoint of entry to a configuration of the solid-state circuit breaker. Itis from the configuration interface that configuration of thesolid-state circuit breaker may be dynamically updated in real-time tomore suitably operate in a present process and/or present powercondition of the industrial automation system.

Node addresses, protection settings (e.g., analog settings, discretesettings), or the like may each be set, reset, and/or defined via datastored in the configuration interface. The configuration interface mayalso serve as a table of parameters to store configurations in anoffline place for download when a replacement of a solid-state circuitbreaker were to occur. This may improve start-up or replacementoperations of the industrial automation system by reducing downtimeassociated with a replacement or maintain operation of the solid-statecircuit breaker (e.g., since the configuration is relatively easy todownload and upload into a device replacement for the solid-statecircuit breaker). Additionally or alternatively, the configurationinterface may store the requested packet interval from the solid-statecircuit breaker to the control system, or vice-versa.

The control system may use the configuration interface to individuallymonitor and/or control the solid-state circuit breaker even whileconnected to other circuit breakers and/or devices. The configurationinterface may facilitate in the control system providing a dynamic userinterface on a graphical user interface that may enable an operator toconfigure properties of the solid-state circuit breaker. In some cases,different operators may have different levels of authentication thatpermit the different operators varying control and/or access levels tothe operation of the solid-state circuit breaker, where the levels ofauthentication may be defined by a permission parameter associated withan operator profile for the operator. Indeed, some operator profiles(e.g., user profiles) may have different levels of access to informationassociated with operation of the solid-state circuit breaker (e.g.,information accessible via a configuration interface).

The solid-state circuit breaker may communicate with the control systemand/or other industrial automation control devices (e.g., computingdevices, solid-state circuit breakers) using any suitable communicationor programming technique. For example, additional devices may interfacewith the solid-state circuit breaker using direct programming techniquesand/or supporting programming languages, such as structured text, ladderlogic, sequential function chart, functional block programming, or thelike. Real-time information may be exchanged between the solid-statecircuit breaker and other devices, such as the control system. One ofthe solid-state circuit breaker and/or the control system may initiatethe communication, and at the request for communication instruct thedevice with a requested packet interval. Communication between thesolid-state circuit breaker and the control system may occur at therequested packet interval and cause a populating of a data table of thecontrol system.

The control system may receive information from the solid-state circuitbreaker in the form of logical tags. These logical tags may be used inprocess automation control strategies. The information from thesolid-state circuit breaker may be extracted in an operator-defined datatype (e.g., P_SolidStateBreaker) that may encapsulate real-time datafrom the solid-state circuit breaker in an object-oriented model. Thesolid-state circuit breaker may be represented by one or morevisualizations of the object-orientated model, and thus any displayedstatuses of the solid-state circuit breaker may change in real-time asdata transmits to the control system from the solid-state circuitbreaker. A human-machine interface presented on a display of a computingdevice may present the object-orientated model. Furthermore, the logicaltags and information from the solid-state circuit breaker may populatecomputing applications to create a logical model of an MCC itself.Additional details with regard to the solid-state circuit breakerdescribed above will be discussed below with reference to FIGS. 1-10.

By way of introduction, FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a feeder system 10(e.g., motor feeder system, motor control center (MCC) feeder system),which may be part of an industrial automation system. The feeder system10 may include a power supply, such as an alternating current (AC) powersupply 12, to supply power to loads coupled downstream. The feedersystem 10 may also include a solid-state circuit breaker 14 coupled tothe AC power supply 12. The AC power supply 12 may supply current and/orvoltage to an electrical load 16 coupled to the solid-state circuitbreaker 14.

When abnormal operation occurs, such as when a voltage that isuncharacteristically high or low is delivered to the electrical load 16,the solid-state circuit breaker 14 may electronically disconnect the ACpower supply 12 from the electrical load 16. As such, the solid-statecircuit breaker 14 may protect the electrical load from supply voltagesand/or supply currents that may damage the solid-state circuit breaker14.

Any suitable number of supply devices may be represented by the AC powersupply 12, such as any combination of rectifiers, converters, powerbanks, generation devices, or the like. It should be understood that thefeeder system 10 may include one or more motor-drive systems, motors,MCCs, or the like as the electrical load, or coupled between any of thedepicted devices and that the feeder system 10 may include one or moreadditional components not depicted in FIG. 1.

For example, the feeder system 10 may include any suitable type ofrectifier device that includes a number of switches controllable by anysuitable power converter. For example, the AC power supply 12 mayinclude an active front end (AFE) converter, a diode converter, athyristor converter, a diode front end rectifier, or the like. In someembodiments, the switches of the AC power supply 12 may besemiconductor-controlled devices, transistor-based (e.g., insulated-gatebipolar transistor (IGBT), metal-oxide semiconductor field-effecttransistor (MOSFET), or other suitable transistor) devices, or othersuitable devices in which the opening and/or closing of the switch maybe controlled using an external signal (e.g., gate signal), which may beprovided by the control system 18. The AC power supply 12 may provide ACsupply signals (e.g., AC voltage, AC current, a regulated AC output) ona bus 20, which may be provided to the solid-state circuit breaker 14.

It is noted that the feeder system 10 may be used in a variety ofindustrial automation systems, such as food manufacturing, industrialoperations systems, refineries, or the like. In this way, implementationand use of the solid-state circuit breaker 14 to protect variouselectrical loads may improve operations of industrial automationsystems. For example, using a solid-state circuit breaker 14 may reduceor eliminate usage of electrical protection devices that rely at leastpartially on mechanical switching. Reducing or eliminating use ofmechanical switching may reduce a likelihood of arc flash and/or reducea severity of exposed incident energy if an arc flash were to occur.When occurrences of arc flash are reduced, reliability and lifespans ofsystems using solid-state circuit breakers 14 may improve (e.g.,increase) and operators may reduce a level of personal protectiveequipment (PPE) worn while operating nearby to the solid-state circuitbreaker 14.

Industrial automation systems may operate in response to signalsgenerated by the control system 18. The control system 18 may includeany suitable number of electronic devices and/or components to generateand/or manage generation of the control signals. For example, thecontrol system 18 may include a communication component 22, a processor24, a memory 26, storage 28, and input/output (I/O) ports 29, or thelike, for generating and managing generation of control signals.

The communication component 22 may be a wireless or wired communicationcomponent that facilitates communication between the control system 18,the solid-state circuit breaker 14, or other suitable electronicdevices. The processor 24 may be any type of computer processor ormicroprocessor capable of executing computer-executable code. The memory26 and the storage 28 may be any suitable articles of manufacture thatmay serve as media to store processor-executable code, data, or thelike. These articles of manufacture may represent computer-readablemedia (i.e., any suitable form of memory or storage) that may store theprocessor-executable code used by the processor 24 to perform thepresently disclosed techniques, such as to predictively response tooperational changes, or the like.

The I/O ports 29 may couple to one or more sensors, one or more inputdevices, one or more displays, or the like, to facilitate human ormachine interaction with the control system 18, the solid-state circuitbreaker 14, or other suitable electronic devices. For example, based ona notification provided to the operator via a display, the operator mayuse an input device to instruct the adjustment of a parameter associatedwith the solid-state circuit breaker 14.

Keeping the foregoing in mind, sometimes the control system 18 maycommunicate with the solid-state circuit breaker 14 using one or morecommunication techniques. For example, the solid-state circuit breaker14 may include a controller area network (CAN) communicative couplingand/or an internet protocol (IP)-based communicative coupling, such asan Ethernet IP communicative coupling, to the control system 18. Thesecommunicative couplings may enable the solid-state circuit breaker 14 tocommunicate with the control system 18 without intervention from a hostcomputer. Thus, the solid-state circuit breaker 14 may communicatedirectly with the control system 18 without using an interveningcomputing device.

In some cases, the control system 18 may use one or more configurationinterfaces to communicate with the solid-state circuit breaker 14. Theconfiguration interface may be a graphical user interface and/orlogically-defined data object (e.g., data table) that permits thecontrol system 18 and/or user to provide and/or update a configurationand/or to obtain a status of the solid-state circuit breaker. In thisway, the configuration interface may be a data boundary used totranslate configurations from devices external to the solid-statecircuit breaker 14 to a format readable by the solid-state circuitbreaker 14 and/or to translate statuses from the solid-state circuitbreaker 14 into a format readable by devices external to the solid-statecircuit breaker 14.

In some embodiments, the configuration interface may perform a formattranslation of data associated with it, such as to change a data type orlength. For example, the configuration interface may facilitate changingan analog-defined parameter (e.g., data value, status) into adigitally-defined parameter, a Boolean-defined parameter into aFloating-point-defined parameter, from a character-defined parameterinto a string-defined parameter, from an integer-defined parameter intoa Boolean-defined parameter, or any combination thereof. Theconfiguration interface may be embedded within computer-readable mediumand executed as software to provide a single point of entry to aconfiguration of the solid-state circuit breaker. It is from theconfiguration interface that configuration of the solid-state circuitbreaker may be dynamically updated in real-time to more suitably operatein a present process and/or present power condition of the industrialautomation system.

A configuration interface may be associated with a table, or other typeof data storage and/or data object, used to store parameters,information, identifiers, set-points, or the like. To communicate withthe solid-state circuit breaker 14, the control system 18 may referencean identifier stored in a table associated with the communicationinterface and use the identifier to prefix a message and/or data packetto the solid-state circuit breaker 14 (e.g., a control system of thesolid-state circuit breaker 14). The control system 18 may storeinformation received from the solid-state circuit breaker 14 into thetable (e.g., a current indication of data from a sensing operation), orthe like, to associate the information with the configuration of thesolid-state circuit breaker 14. The control system 18 may also use theconfiguration interface for a variety of suitable operations related tocontrol and/or communication with the solid-state circuit breaker 14.For example, the control system 18 may determine, from the configurationinterface, a first expected value range (e.g., a first data value and asecond data value) associated with a first operation of the solid-statecircuit breaker 14. In this way, the control system 18 may identify anundesired operation if a received sensed value was determined to not bebetween the first data value and the second data value (e.g., greaterthan or less than the expected value range).

Usage of the configuration interface may permit the control system 18 toindividually monitor and/or control the solid-state circuit breaker 14even while connected to other circuit breakers and/or devices. Forexample, the configuration interface may provide a direct communicativecoupling from the control system 18 to the solid-state circuit breaker14, even when a communicative coupling is shared between multiplesolid-state circuit breakers 14, such as by routing communicationsand/or commands directly between the control system 18 and thesolid-state circuit breaker 14. The configuration interface may permitconfiguration of properties of the solid-state circuit breaker 14 whilethe solid-state circuit breaker 14 is online. These properties mayinclude an IP Address assigned to the solid-state circuit breaker 14 topermit communication between the control system 18 and the solid-statecircuit breaker 14 and/or a node address (e.g., CAN node address) topermit the control system 18 to address the solid-state circuit breaker14 as one of many nodes. Additionally or alternatively, theconfiguration interface may store the requested packet interval from thesolid-state circuit breaker 14 to the control system 18, or vice-versa,where the requested packet interval may be a data transfer rate and/ordata transmission frequency rate specified by a first device for asecond to comply with when sending information or data to the firstdevice.

In this way, the control system 18 may use configuration interface-basedcommunication techniques to identify an IP address and/or the nodeaddress of the solid-state circuit breaker 14 to communicate with thesolid-state circuit breaker 14 according to the requested packetinterval. Knowing the IP address and/or node address of the solid-statecircuit breaker 14 may permit a direct routing of information and/orcommands to the solid-state circuit breaker 14.

The configuration interface may also serve as a table of parameters tostore configurations in an offline place for download when a replacementof a solid-state circuit breaker 14 were to occur. This may improvestart-up or replacement operations of the industrial automation systemby reducing downtime associated with a replacement or maintain operationof the solid-state circuit breaker 14 (e.g., since the configuration isrelatively easy to download and upload into a device replacement for thesolid-state circuit breaker 14).

In some cases, the control system 18 may use the configurationinterface-based communication techniques to instruct the solid-statecircuit breaker 14 into a particular mode of operation. The mode ofoperation may define how signals are transmitted through or from thesolid-state circuit breaker 14. For example, the solid-state circuitbreaker 14 may be instructed into a soft-start operational mode, aforward operational mode, and/or a reverse operational mode, and thusmay behave like a motor starter. In some cases, the solid-state circuitbreaker 14 may be operated in combination with one or more additionalsolid-state circuit breakers 14 also operated into the same operationalmode. The soft-start operational mode may cause the solid-state circuitbreaker 14 to provide incrementally-generated supply power or supplysignals to the electrical load 16, such as to provide a start-up levelof supply signals at a relatively gradual pacing or timing. The forwardoperational mode may cause the solid-state circuit breaker 14 to providesupply power in a way to cause the electrical load to operate in aforward direction relative to a reference direction, while the reverseoperational mode may cause the solid-state circuit breaker 14 to providesupply power in a way as to cause the electrical load to operate in areverse direction relative to the reference direction.

The control system 18 may also permit configuration of properties of thesolid-state circuit breaker 14 based at least in part on thermalmeasurements and/or metering information, such as phase-phase voltages,phase-to-ground voltages, input current, output current, frequency,power, status of the solid-state circuit breaker 14 (e.g., Open Close,Blocked, Failure), or the like. In this way, the control system 18 maydetermine a current operation of the solid-state circuit breaker 14 anduse the information of the current operation to determine how to adjustan operation of the solid-state circuit breaker 14. For example, thecontrol system 18 may determine that the solid-state circuit breaker 14is blocked and has a thermal measurement higher than a historicalaverage for the solid-state circuit breaker 14. Using this information,the control system 18 may determine that an undesired operation isoccurring, and thus may determine to open the solid-state circuitbreaker 14. Furthermore, the control system 18 may use this informationto operation other devices upstream and/or downstream of the solid-statecircuit breaker 14, such as controlling additional protection circuitryto further isolate the solid-state circuit breaker 14 from theindustrial automation system.

The properties, in some embodiments, may also be used to defineoperation limits corresponding to determined settings to be used toprotect the load. The operation limits may correspond to operatingranges set by governing agencies or standard committees, such asAmerican National Standards Institute (ANSI®), Underwriters Laboratories(UL®), International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC®) or the like, andmay be used to protect the solid-state circuit breaker 14, theelectrical load 16, or the like from undesired operating conditions.Furthermore, the properties may also define protection groups or classesassociated with the solid-state circuit breaker 14. Protection groups orclasses may correspond to groups of electrical loads 16 that may have asame protection scheme. These protection groups or classes may beclassifications of types of protection for different devices set bygoverning agencies or standard committees. When the electrical load 16is classified as part of a protection group with another electrical load16, it may be desired to protect both electrical loads 16 with asolid-state circuit breaker 14 set to the same settings. In this way,when a different electrical load 16 is installed to the solid-statecircuit breaker 14, the protection groups or classes may be updated toindicate the new group or class of the new electrical load 16. This maycause the solid-state circuit breaker 14 to automatically update itsoperational settings to accommodate the new electrical load 16. Use ofproperties may thus improve deployment of setting changes to solid-statecircuit breakers 14 by making an overall installation process of a newelectrical load 16 relatively faster since less time is spent updatingoperational settings of the solid-state circuit breaker 14. In someembodiments, the solid-state circuit breaker 14 may detect a protectiongroup or class of its electrical load 16 automatically and/or withoutreceiving the property from the control system 18. In these cases, thesolid-state circuit breaker 14 may sense metering information (e.g.,operational properties) of the electrical load 16 to determine whatprotection group or class applies to the electrical load 16. Forexample, the solid-state circuit breaker 14 may determine that itoutputs three-phase power and that its load is operating at a relativelyhigh voltage that corresponds to an operating voltage of a large motorload, thus the solid-state circuit breaker 14 may automatically classifyits electrical load 16 as a large motor based on this analysis.

In some cases, the control system 18 may use configuration interfacetechniques to receive thermal measurements and/or metering informationdirectly from the solid-state circuit breaker 14. For example, thesolid-state circuit breaker 14 may directly report values sensed by oneor more measurement circuitries coupled to one or more portions of thesolid-state circuit breaker 14 via updating of data stored in a table,data object, or the like, associated with the configuration interfacebetween the solid-state circuit breaker 14 and the control system 18. Assuch, the solid-state circuit breaker 14 may report its sensed valuesincluding, but not limited to, ambient temperature, internaltemperature, phase-to-phase voltage, internal voltage, phase-to-linevoltage, current, frequency, power input, power output, or the like.Furthermore, in some cases, the solid-state circuit breaker 14 mayreport its status, such as whether it is operated in an open state(e.g., Open status), a closed state (e.g., Closed status), whether itsclosing/opening function is blocked and/or functionally prevented (e.g.,Blocked status), and/or whether the solid-state circuit breaker 14 isnon-operational and/or uncommunicative (e.g., offline) in the same dataobject associated with the configuration interface.

These various statuses, control operations, and other datasets may becommunicated between the control system 18 and the solid-state circuitbreaker 14 using any suitable communication or programming technique.For example, additional devices, such as the control system 18, mayinterface in real-time with the solid-state circuit breaker 14 usingdirect IEC® 61131 programming techniques and/or supporting programminglanguages, such as structured text, ladder logic, sequential functionchart, functional block programming, or the like. It is noted that insome cases, the solid-state circuit breaker 14 may retain and/orgenerate an information log (e.g., such as within the storage 28) thatmay be reported to at a later time to the control system 18. Theinformation log may store and/or track various alarm states, alerts,operations, sensed values, statuses, or the like generated by thesolid-state circuit breaker 14.

One of the solid-state circuit breakers and/or the control system mayinitiate the communication. When communication is requested, therequesting device may self-report a desired communication frequency,such as a requested packet interval to use with the communication. Assuch, communication between the solid-state circuit breaker 14 and thecontrol system 18 may be configurable at request to any real-timecommunication system needs, such as to dynamically adjust communicationsto a current bandwidth to be used to communicate with the control system18. The requested packet interval may define a time period to use whentransmitting information packets between the solid-state circuit breaker14 and the control system 18.

The solid-state circuit breaker 14 and the control system 18 maycommunicate at the requested packet interval, and thus a data table ofthe control system 18 may populate at a rate proportional and/or basedon the requested packet interval. When using the configurationinterface-based communication techniques, the control system 18 mayreceive information from the solid-state circuit breaker 14 thatincludes logical tags (e.g., a logical tag corresponding to anidentifier for the solid-state circuit breaker 14 and/or particularinformation regarding operation of the solid-state circuit breaker 14).Information reported to the control system 18 may be linked to thelogical tags. The logical tags may be used in process or automationcontrol strategies since the logical tag is static relative to theinformation reported as being associated with the logical tag (e.g., thelogical tag may identify a reported value as a “circuit breaker Xtemperature,” such that each time information is reported with thelogical tag, the information is stored at the control system 18 is asuitable location of the memory 26 and/or the storage 28).

Information from the solid-state circuit breaker 14 may be extracted inan operator-defined data type corresponding to the logical tag (e.g.,P_SolidStateBreaker) that may encapsulate real-time data from thesolid-state circuit breaker in an object-oriented model. The solid-statecircuit breaker may be represented by one or more visualizations of theobject-orientated model, and thus any displayed statuses of thesolid-state circuit breaker may change in real-time as data transmits tothe control system from the solid-state circuit breaker. For example,the solid-state circuit breaker 14 may be represented by one or morevisualizations of the object-orientated model, and thus any displayedstatuses of the solid-state circuit breaker 14 may change in real-timeas data is transmitted to the control system 18 from the solid-statecircuit breaker 14. A human-machine interface presented on a display ofa computing device may present the object-orientated model. Furthermore,the logical tags and information from the solid-state circuit breaker 14may feed computing applications to create a logical model of an MCCand/or electrical system that include the solid-state circuit breaker14.

Keeping the forgoing in mind, FIG. 2 is a block diagram of amotor-feeder system 30, an example of the feeder system 10. FIG. 2illustrates how the electrical load 16 may include a power converter 32,an inverter 34, a motor 36, and a direct current (DC) bus 38. Themotor-feeder system 30 may be part of an industrial automation system.The motor-feeder system 30 may include the power converter 32 and thecontrol system 18 that may control the operation of the power converter32. The motor-feeder system 30 may also include one or more inverters34. The inverters 34 may convert the DC voltage output by the powerconverter 32 into a controllable AC voltage used to power the motor 36.

In general, the power converter 32 may receive three-phase alternatingcurrent (AC) voltage from the AC power supply 12 and convert the ACvoltage into a direct current (DC) voltage (e.g., voltage on DC voltagebus 38) suitable for powering a load (e.g., rectify a DC voltage basedon the voltage from the AC power supply 12). It is noted that in someexamples, the AC power supply 12 is replaced by a DC power supply, andthe power converter 32 may operate to filter and/or improve a signalquality of the DC power supply. As such, the power converter 32 suppliesa load, such as the one or more inverters 34, a DC voltage on the DCvoltage bus 38. In certain embodiments, the one or more inverters 34then convert the DC voltage to an AC voltage to be supplied to one ormore devices connected to the inverters 34, such as motors 36. The oneor more inverters 34 may then, in turn, control the speed, torque, orother suitable operation of the one or more devices (e.g., one or moremotors 36) by controlling the AC voltage provided to the one or moredevices. It should be understood that the industrial automation systemmay include one or more motor-feeder systems 30, and each of themotor-feeder systems 30 may include one or more additional componentsnot depicted in FIG. 1.

The power converter 32 may include any suitable power converter devicethat includes a number of switches that may be controlled. For example,the power converter 32 may be an active front end (AFE) converter, adiode converter, a thyristor converter, a diode front end rectifier, orthe like. In some embodiments, the switches of the power converter 32may be semiconductor-controlled devices, transistor-based (e.g., IGBT,MOSFET, or other suitable transistor) devices, or other suitable devicesin which the opening and/or closing of the switch may be controlledusing an external signal (e.g., gate signal), which may be provided bythe control system 18. The power converter 32 may provide the DC voltage(e.g., a regulated DC output voltage) on a direct current (DC) bus 38,which may be provided to the inverters 34 and may regenerate extra oradditional power back to the AC power supply 12 (or DC power supply).The power converter 32 may also operate to maintain a unity powerfactor, generate a stable DC voltage from the AC power supply 12 (or DCpower supply), control a power factor transmitted to the one or moreinverters 34, and the like to generally control power supplied to theone or more inverters 34.

As discussed above, the power converter 32 may use the switchingfrequencies of the switches (e.g., power conversion devices) to convertthe voltage from the AC power supply 12 into the DC voltage. The DCvoltage may be generated across a resistor-capacitor (RC) circuit 40including one or more resistors and one or more capacitors. In addition,the control system 18 may control the operation of the power converter32 to compensate for resonance, unknown line impedances, and the like.

The motor-feeder system 30 may be at least partially protected by use ofthe solid-state circuit breaker 14. When the solid-state circuit breaker14 detects or receives a notification of an upstream fault and/or adownstream fault event, control circuitry of the solid-state circuitbreaker 14 may cause the solid-state circuit breaker 14 to automaticallyopen. In particular, the solid-state circuit breaker 14 may protect themotors 36 by opening in response to sensing one or more sensedparameters and determining that the one or more sensed parameters aregreater than one or more threshold values corresponding to a desiredoperation of the motor-feeder system 30.

The figures described above have illustrated the solid-state circuitbreaker 14 placed between the AC power supply 12 (or DC power supply)and the electrical load 16. However, in some cases, the solid-statecircuit breaker 14 may be disposed after the power converter 32, asillustrated in FIG. 3. In this case, the solid-state circuit breaker 14may receive a DC voltage at its line-side and output a DC voltage at itsload-side.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram of a non-motor-feeder system 42 protected bythe solid-state circuit breaker 14. The solid-state circuit breaker 14of FIG. 3 may be compatible with direct current (DC) supply voltagesand/or DC supply currents (e.g., a generation system that generates DCsupply voltages and/or DC supply currents). In the examplenon-motor-feeder system 42, one or more solid-state circuit breakers 14may be coupled between a power converter 32 and one or more non-motorloads 44. FIG. 3 depicts one of many suitable uses of the solid-statecircuit breaker 14.

Keeping the foregoing in mind, the solid-state circuit breaker 14 may besuitably used to protect a motor 36, a non-motor load 44, or both.Generally, the solid-state circuit breaker 14 may be coupled in linewith a feeder bus for the electrical load 16. For example, thesolid-state circuit breaker 14 may be coupled between an AC power supply12 (e.g., a generator) and an electrical load 16 (e.g., motor 36,non-motor load 44).

A control system 18 may receive information from a solid-state circuitbreaker 14 in the form of logical tags. These logical tags may be usedin process or automation control strategies and may help to organizeand/or identify incoming data to the control system 18. The informationfrom the solid-state circuit breaker 14 may be extracted in anoperator-defined data type (e.g., P_SolidStateBreaker) that mayencapsulate real-time data from the solid-state circuit breaker 14 in anobject-oriented model. In this way, the solid-state circuit breaker 14may be represented by one or more visualizations of theobject-orientated model, such as in a visualization rendered on ahuman-machine interface (HMI) (e.g., a visualized model of theindustrial automation system associated with the solid-state circuitbreaker 14). The object-oriented model may include displayed statuses ofthe solid-state circuit breaker 14 and/or data sensed by the solid-statecircuit breaker 14. In some cases, the object-oriented model and/or avisualization of the object-oriented model may change in real-time asdata is transmitted to the control system 18 from the solid-statecircuit breaker 14. A human-machine interface presented on a display ofa computing device may present the object-oriented model through one ormore visualizations rendered on the display. Furthermore, logical tagsand/or information from the solid-state circuit breaker 14 may feedcomputing applications to facilitate creating a logical model of an MCCitself. The control system 18 may use the computing applications to makecontrol decisions, such as to decide when to electrically open orelectrically close the solid-state circuit breaker 14. In some cases,the solid-state circuit breaker 14 may be coupled to the electrical load16 to replace a motor starter as well as to protect the electrical load16 from undesired power supply signals.

When using the solid-state circuit breaker 14 as a motor starter, thesolid-state circuit breaker 14 may be operated to perform a reversestarting operation, a non-reverse (e.g., forward) starting operation,and a soft-start starting operation (e.g., stepped starting operation)to guide the power-on (e.g., starting) of a motor load. While performingstarting or steady state operations, the solid-state circuit breaker 14,as a single device, may perform similar operations of multiple devices(e.g., galvanic disconnecting devices, contactors, thermal overloadprotection devices) while using circuitry within a same physicalenclosure. This may permit the three devices (e.g., galvanicdisconnecting devices, contactors, thermal overload protection devices)to be replaced by the solid-state circuit breaker 14 in a starter. Tooperate the solid-state circuit breaker 14 in the reverse startingoperation or the non-reverse starting operation, one or more solid-statecircuit breakers 14 may be closed in a particular order to cause theelectrical load (e.g., motor 36) to rotate either in a referencedirection (e.g., non-reverse) or against the reference direction (e.g.,reverse). With a soft-start starting operation, the control system 18may operate one or more solid-state circuit breakers 14 according todevice profiles that define operational ranges for respective deviceswhile powering on the electrical load 16.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart of a method 60 performed by the control system 18to control a soft-start operation of the electrical load 16 (e.g., motor36, non-motor load 44). Although the method 60 is described below asperformed by the control system 18, it should be noted that the method60 may be performed by any suitable processor that controls operation ofthe solid-state circuit breaker 14 and/or of the motor 36. Moreover,although the following description of the method 60 is described in aparticular order, it should be noted that the method 60 may be performedin any suitable order.

At block 62, the control system 18 may initiate a soft-start operationaccording to a start-up profile of the solid-state circuit breaker 14and/or the electrical load 16. Each solid-state circuit breaker 14and/or electrical load 16 may correspond to a start-up profile. Astart-up profile for the electrical load 16 may define a duration oftime to use to ramp up average supply voltages and/or supply currents tothe electrical load 16, a direction of signals to use to start the load(e.g., forward direction signals or reverse direction signals relativeto the reference direction), a frequency of electrical switching (e.g.,solid-state switching) to use when starting the electrical load 16, orthe like. Each solid-state circuit breaker 14 and/or electrical load 16may correspond to a unique and/or individually defined start-up profile.Start-up profiles may be stored in memory 26 and/or storage 28 of thecontrol system 18, or in any suitable storage device accessible by thecontrol system 18, such as in a cloud-based and/or Internet-basedstorage system.

After the start-up profile is loaded and/or accessed by the controlsystem 18, the control system 18 may generate control signals inaccordance with the start-up profile, thereby operating the solid-statecircuit breaker 14 in accordance with its corresponding start-upprofile. Start-up profiles may be associated with configurationinterface-based communication techniques and/or may permitindividualized operation of each solid-state circuit breaker 14 coupledto the control system 18. For example, the solid-state circuit breaker14 may receive configurations and/or transmit statuses to the controlsystem 18 using specific references to portions of a data table or dataobject. In this way, the control system 18 may reference the data tableor data object to determine how to start-up the electrical load 16coupled to the solid-state circuit breaker 14 (e.g., by referencing thestart-up profile). While the control system 18 operates the solid-statecircuit breaker 14 according to the start-up profile, the control system18 may receive and monitor various operational statuses of theelectrical load 16 and/or of the solid-state circuit breaker 14 duringthe start-up process. In some cases, operational statuses may be summaryreports (e.g., “on,” “closed,” “off,” “open”) and/or may be numbers orvalues indicative of sensed data received from sensing devices. Forexample, the solid-state circuit breaker 14, such as using a processorassociated with the solid-state circuit breaker 14, may generate anoperational status in response to operating to open (e.g., decouple itsline-side from its load-side).

Thus, at block 64, the control system 18 may monitor data (e.g.,operational statuses) regarding operational parameters includingvoltage, current, temperature, humidity, and the like, of thesolid-state circuit breaker 14 and/or the electrical load 16 duringstart-up of the electrical load 16. For example, soft-starting the motor36 may involve operating the motor 36 within defined operationalparameter ranges (e.g., expected value ranges). Thus, the control system18 may monitor data from the solid-state circuit breaker 14 and/or themotor 36 to determine how to operate one or more solid-state circuitbreakers 14 to soft-start the motor 36, such that the operatingparameters remain at values within respective operational parameterranges. Thus, the respective operational parameter ranges may correspondto desired parameter ranges during start of the motor 36. When thecontrol system 18 determines one or more of the operational parametersis greater than or less than an expected value, the control system 18may adjust an operation of the electrical load 16 and/or the solid-statecircuit breaker 14 to compensate for the deviation.

At block 66, the control system 18 may operate the solid-state circuitbreaker 14 to open as part of overload protection operations based atleast in part on the data representative of the operational parameters.The opening of the solid-state circuit breaker 14 may be triggered inresponse to detecting a fault associated with a supply line or a loadline of the solid-state circuit breaker 14. Opening the solid-statecircuit breaker 14 may prevent a fault from damaging the electrical load16. In some cases, the control system may detect a deviation from astart-up profile corresponding to the motor 36 and may cause thesolid-state circuit breaker 14 to open in response to detecting thedeviation. It is noted that in some cases, the control system 18 maycause the solid-state circuit breaker 14 to close after opening. Forexample, when soft-starting the motor 36, the solid-state circuitbreaker 14 may open and closed at different times to simulate contactordriving schemes, where different portions (e.g., poles) of thesolid-state circuit breaker 14 may drive different lines between thesolid-state circuit breaker 14 and the motor 36.

Keeping the forgoing in mind, the solid-state circuit breaker 14 may becharacterized by various physical characterizations. For example, thesolid-state circuit breaker 14 may perform electrical isolationoperations without employing devices that switch using a mechanicalapparatus (e.g., electromagnetic and/or coil-based switching devices).Furthermore, the solid-state circuit breaker 14 may perform operationsof galvanic disconnecting devices, contactors, and thermal overloadprotection devices using solid-state semiconductor circuitry disposedwithin a same physical enclosure within a housing unit. This may permitthe three devices (e.g., overload protection circuitry, disconnectswitching circuitry, and motor controlling circuitry) to be replaced byone or more solid-state circuit breakers 14.

To elaborate, FIG. 5 is a block diagram of a starter system 80 and astarter system 82 that uses the solid-state circuit breaker 14. Asshown, the starter system 80 includes three distinct physicalcomponents: one or more galvanic disconnecting devices 84 with one ormore branch circuit protection devices 86 (e.g., circuit breaker, fuseddisconnect switch), one or more contactors 88 (e.g., isolating devices),and one or more thermal overload protection devices 90 (e.g., electronicoverload). These three components work together as an assembly toprovide a full voltage non-reversing starter system control operation ofthe motor 36. For example, the galvanic disconnecting devices 84 mayopen to provide an air gap between a line-side feeding the solid-statecircuit breaker 14 and the solid-state circuit breaker 14. When thegalvanic disconnecting devices 84 are closed, contactors 88 may beopened and/or closed in accordance with various starting and/orpowering-on patterns, such as to soft-start the motor 36. While each ofthe contactors 88 are closed, the thermal overload protection devices 90may respectively monitor each line to the motor 36 to protect againstunsuitable operation of the starter system 80. For example, the thermaloverload protection devices 90 may decouple the motor 36 from thecontactors 88 if one of the lines were to exceed a thermal thresholdand/or otherwise becomes unsuitable for operations.

The solid-state circuit breaker 14 may improve on other startertechnologies by enabling the contactors 88 and the thermal overloadprotection devices 90 to be replaced by the solid-state circuit breaker14. For example, the control system 18 may operate according to firmware(e.g., software and/or instructions stored in the memory 26 or storage28 executable by the processor 24 to cause the control system 18 toperform control operations on the solid-state circuit breaker 14) tomimic operations performed by the contactors 88 and/or the thermaloverload protection devices 90. The control system 18 may load one ormore start-up profiles. The control system 18 may drive the solid-statecircuit breaker 14 based on a respective of the start-up profile tochange signals output from the solid-state circuit breaker 14. Forexample, the control system 18 may cause a first terminal (T1) 92A, orany of the terminals, to transmit signals from the line-side before asecond terminal (T2) 92B, or any of the terminals, consistent with anexample operation of the starter system 80. The control system 18 mayoperate the solid-state circuit breaker 14 according to one or morethermal models. A thermal model may set overcurrent thresholds and/ormonitoring ranges and/or define permitted or impermissible changes intransmitted current (e.g., Δdi/Δdt) based at least in part on motorcurves of the motor 36 (e.g., expected outputs from the motor 36 inresponse to inputs).

In this way, when the control system 18 receives sensing data from oneor more current sensors and/or voltage sensors, the control system 18may predict whether an overcurrent event is statistically likely tooccur based on one or more thermal modes. For example, the solid-statecircuit breaker 14 may include one or more current transformers to sensecurrents associated with the solid-state circuit breaker 14 and/or oneor more potential transformers to sense voltages associated with thesolid-state circuit breaker 14, and the control system 18 may use thevoltages and/or currents when determining how to operate the solid-statecircuit breaker 14. The control operations of the control system 18 mayinvolve analyzing a thermal model of the motor 36, inputs to and/oroutputs from the solid-state circuit breaker 14, a thermal model of thesolid-state circuit breaker 14, or the like. For example, the controlsystem 18 may analyze time-current characteristic curves of thesolid-state circuit breaker 14 defined in the model to determine when toopen the solid-state circuit breaker 14. In some cases, the controlsystem 18 may monitor changes in current transmitted (e.g., Δdi/Δdt)from the solid-state circuit breaker 14 to determine when changes incurrent are happening relatively too fast and/or at a rate that isgreater than (or otherwise outside of) a threshold value defined by thethermal model of the motor 36. In this way, since the starter system 82includes the solid-state circuit breaker 14 capable of operating toprotect the solid-state circuit breaker 14 and/or the motor 36 similarto the contactors 88 and/or the thermal overload protection devices 90,the starter system 82 may not include the contactors 88 and/or thethermal overload protection devices 90.

In some cases, a reversing starter capable of driving the motor 36 in aforward or a reverse (e.g., non-forward) direction is used to drive themotor 36. To elaborate, FIG. 6 is a block diagram of a reversing starter100 and a reversing starter 102. To form a reversing starter, one ormore contactors 88B are added to certain starters and interlocked withthe contactors 88 (e.g., contactors 88A) to provide electrical phasereversal of two phases. For example, contactors 88A are interlocked withcontactors 88B of the reversing starter 100. By interlocking thecontactors 88 and swapping phases (e.g., first line (L1) and third line(L3) at the load-side of the contactors 88B relative to the load-side ofthe contactors 88A), either contactors 88A or contactors 88B may beengaged in the “on” position at a same time. Since the second contactor88B has two electrical phases swapped (e.g., L1, L3), the electricalphase rotation is 180 degrees from the first contactor 88A, and thus maydrive the motor 36 in the reverse direction.

Similar to the starter system 80 and the starter system 82 of FIG. 5,inclusion of the solid-state circuit breaker 14 in the reversing starter102 may permit removal of the contactors 88 (e.g., contactors 88A andcontactors 88B) and the overload protection devices 90. In this way, thesolid-state circuit breaker 14 may couple (e.g., directly couple)between a power supply (e.g., AC power supply 12) and/or line-side ofthe motor 36 and the motor 36. Furthermore, in some embodiments, thesolid-state circuit breaker 14 may include a mechanical air gap thatprovides the galvanic isolation that the galvanic disconnecting devices84 provide, thereby permitting removal of the galvanic disconnectingdevices 84 from the reversing starter 102.

In the cases of the starter system 82 of FIG. 5 and the reversingstarter 102 of FIG. 6, branch circuit protection provided by thegalvanic disconnecting devices 84 may be provided as a function of thesolid-state circuit breaker 14. For example, the solid-state circuitbreaker 14 may be capable of providing circuit interruption and/or shortcircuit protection suitable to various standards of electrical governingbodies based at least in part on control operations of the controlsystem 18 operating the solid-state circuit breaker 14 in accordancewith the standards. Furthermore, in some embodiments, the solid-statecircuit breaker 14 may include an integrated air-gap disconnect and/orintegrated galvanic disconnecting device to further isolate thesolid-state circuit breaker 14 in the event of a fault occurring (e.g.,isolate in addition to any air-gap function of the solid-state circuitbreaker 14).

To elaborate, FIG. 7 is an illustration of a housing unit 110 for thesolid-state circuit breaker 14, where the solid-state circuit breaker 14may be disposed within the housing unit 110. The housing unit 110 mayinclude a mechanical device 112 designed to operate a galvanicdisconnecting device associated with (e.g., galvanic disconnectingdevices 84) and/or disposed within the solid-state circuit breaker 14,providing mechanical galvanic isolation. The mechanical device 112 mayinclude a latch device 114 (e.g., spring that operates interconnectingdevices) to decouple a supply-side (e.g., line-side) from a load-side ofthe solid-state circuit breaker 14 using the galvanic disconnectingdevice for maintenance access or withdrawal of the housing unit 110. Forexample, the mechanical device 112 may operate to interlock the housingunit 110 and/or drawer door of the housing unit 110 with the latchdevice 114 and/or a device coupled or operable by the latch device 114.

When interlocked, the solid-state circuit breaker 14 may not be removedfrom a cabinet space within a motor control center and/or aninstallation site based at least in part on the latch device 114 lockingthe solid-state circuit breaker 14 in place. For example, the latchdevice 114 may control a position on an axis 116 of a metal plate 118.When a handle 120 of the housing unit 110 is operated into an “off”position (e.g., when the solid-state circuit breaker 14 isde-energized), the latch device 114 may pull the latch device 114taught, causing the metal plate 118 to move upward on the axis 116. Thismotion may adjust any interlocking circuitry of the solid-state circuitbreaker 14 to permit removal of the solid-state circuit breaker 14 froma motor control center cabinet and/or from the housing unit 110. Whenthe handle 120 is operated into an “on” position (e.g., when thesolid-state circuit breaker 14 is energized) and/or a “trip” position(e.g., de-energized in response to an undesired operation), the latchdevice 114 may release the latch device 114, causing the metal plate 118to move downward on the axis 116. The metal plate 118 moving downward onthe axis 116 may adjust at least some interlocking circuitry of thesolid-state circuit breaker 14 to block access to the solid-statecircuit breaker 14. In this way, the solid-state circuit breaker 14 maybe mechanically blocked from being accessed (e.g., being removed from amotor control center cabinet and/or from the housing unit 110, beingopened for inspection and/or maintenance) while the solid-state circuitbreaker 14 is energized and/or in a trip state (e.g., permitting removalwhen the handle 120 is in an “off” position as opposed to “on” or“trip”).

In this way, when the solid-state circuit breaker 14 is not energized,the mechanical device 112 may permit removal of the solid-state circuitbreaker 14 from the cabinet space and/or the installation site based atleast in part on the latch device 114 being operated into an orientationthat permits such removal. Interlocking capabilities of the solid-statecircuit breaker 14 may be provided additionally or alternatively tointerlocking capabilities of the housing unit 110, such that acombination of a position of the handle 120 and an operational state ofthe solid-state circuit breaker 14 may permit or deny removal of thesolid-state circuit breaker 14. For example, one or more sensed valuesmay be used by the control system 18 to unlock or lock interlockingcircuitry of the solid-state circuit breaker 14, such as in response todetecting no voltage or no current conditions within or from thesolid-state circuit breaker 14. In some embodiments, a defeatingmechanism may be included to override any interlocking devices of thesolid-state circuit breaker 14, such as a key that a user may use tooverride an interlocking device.

Additionally or alternatively, an integrated air-gap disconnect devicemay be used with the solid-state circuit breaker 14, such as alone or incombination with the mechanical device 112. The integrated air-gapdisconnect device may be associated with a push button. When the pushbutton is pressed, interlocking circuitry may disengage and permitretraction springs to pull contacts of the solid-state circuit breaker14 away from each other to form an air gap between the contacts. Forexample, the integrated air-gap disconnect device may cause galvanicisolation between a supply-side and a load-side of the solid-statecircuit breaker 14 in response to the latch device 114 being extended bymovement of the handle 120. Powering-down electronics of the solid-statecircuit breaker 14 before operating the integrated air-gap disconnectdevice may reduce a likelihood of arcing occurring when the air gap isbeing formed between the contacts.

The control system 18 may use the integrated air-gap disconnect whenperforming lockout/tagout control operations and/or when electricallyisolating devices coupled downstream of the solid-state circuit breaker14 from devices coupled upstream of the solid-state circuit breaker 14.Integrated air-gap disconnects may be used in combination with air gapsprovided internal to the solid-state circuit breaker 14 and/or incombination with interlocking circuitry of the housing unit 110. In somecases, additional external disconnect switches may be used incombination with solid-state circuit breakers 14 to further electricallydisconnect a line-side of the solid-state circuit breaker 14 from thesolid-state circuit breaker 14.

For example, FIG. 8 is an illustration of a cabinet 130 that includesthe housing unit 110 and the solid-state circuit breaker 14. The housingunit 110 may also include one or more upstream switches 132. In thisexample system, the galvanic disconnecting device 84 may be replaced bythe solid-state circuit breaker 14 coupled to additional circuitbreakers or fused disconnect switches (e.g., upstream switches 132)upstream from the solid-state circuit breaker 14. The upstream switches132 may respectfully couple to each line feeding the solid-state circuitbreaker 14 (e.g., L1, L2, L3). Each upstream switch of the upstreamswitches 132 may couple in series with the solid-state circuit breaker14 to provide disconnecting circuit isolation. The upstream switches 132may be used in combination with any of the systems and/or methodsdescribed herein. The handle 120 may electrically disconnect thesolid-state circuit breaker 14 and/or the upstream switches 132. In somecases, the upstream switches 132 may automatically isolate thesolid-state circuit breaker 14 from one or more power supplies inresponse to the upstream switches 132 detecting a change in transmittedcurrent (e.g., Δdi/Δdt). The upstream switches 132 may be used todecouple the solid-state circuit breaker 14 from the line-side of thesolid-state circuit breaker 14 additional to or alternative of anintegrated air-gap disconnect.

When operating, the solid-state circuit breaker 14 may generate heatsince semiconductor circuitry tends to produce heat when conductingcurrents. Thermal management systems may be installed within a motorcontrol center assembly to dissipate and remove heat from air ambient tothe solid-state circuit breakers 14.

For example, FIG. 9 is an illustration of the housing unit 110 includingthe solid-state circuit breaker 14 and an example thermal managementdevice 140. The thermal management device 140 may couple the solid-statecircuit breaker 14, such as through metal of the housing unit 110.Coupling the solid-state circuit breaker 14 to the thermal managementdevice 140 may provide a path to dissipate thermal energy generated bythe solid-state circuit breaker 14. In the depicted example, the thermalmanagement device 140 is a heat sink formed from aluminum or othersuitable material and coupled to the solid-state circuit breaker 14. Insome cases, the thermal management device 140 may reduce a temperatureof the solid-state circuit breaker 14 by leveraging conduction fortemperature control, such as through passive air conduction and/orthrough active air conduction (e.g., pressurized air being passed overconduction paths). In some cases, a thermal connection between thesolid-state circuit breaker 14 and the thermal management device 140 maybe a heat pipe design that leverages passive air conduction and/oractive air conduction.

The thermal management device 140 of FIG. 9 is depicted as mounted in anorth-south orientation such that fins 142 of the thermal managementdevice 140 may be orientated perpendicular to a ground plane. In thisway, the ground plane may correspond to an orientation of the x-y-axisand the fins 142 of the heat sink may follow an orientation of thez-axis. In some cases, positioning the fins 142 such that air mayconduct through the fins 142 following the z-axis may enhance coolingcapabilities of the thermal management device 140 since air is able toefficiently conduct upwards between air gaps 144 of the fins 142.

When installing one or more solid-state circuit breakers 14 in anenclosure, sometimes no isolation is provided between adjacentsolid-state circuit breakers 14. In this way, when one of thesolid-state circuit breakers 14 is to be accessed, each solid-statecircuit breaker 14 within the enclosure may be powered down and/or bebrought to an operational state suitable for access. This enclosure maybe improved if each of the solid-state circuit breakers 14 are installedto have respective hinged covers and individual enclosures around eachsolid-state circuit breaker 14.

FIG. 10 is an illustration of an enclosure 154, such as the cabinet 130of FIG. 8, storing multiple housing units 110, and thus multiplesolid-state circuit breakers 14, and an example thermal managementdevice 140. Respective enclosures 156 may permit each respectivesolid-state circuit breaker 14 to be accessed without having topower-off and/or isolate the targeted solid-state circuit breaker 14from a nearby solid-state circuit breaker 14. Providing multiplesolid-state circuit breakers 14 in separate enclosures 156 disposedwithin the enclosure 154 may improve industrial automation systemdeployment since the individual solid-state circuit breakers 14 andcorresponding load wires may be serviced or replaced while power isstill applied to the other solid-state circuit breakers 14.

Each respective enclosure 156 within the enclosure 154 may couple to awire gutter 158 (e.g., wire pathway, “wireways”) to permit organizationof wires incoming or outgoing to respective of the solid-state circuitbreakers 14. This infrastructure may permit adjacently storedsolid-state circuit breakers 14 (e.g., adjacent within an enclosure 154but individually enclosed within additional, nested enclosures 156) toshare a common bus 160. The common bus 160 may permit transmission ofelectrical signals from the power supply 12 to each of the solid-statecircuit breakers 14 (e.g., from a power distribution network commonpower supply). In this way, each of the solid-state circuit breakers 14may share a common line side, and/or a common power supply for controlsignals and/or status signals.

Furthermore, the common bus 160 may permit a common communicationbackplane to be provided to the solid-state circuit breakers 14. In thisway, while each solid-state circuit breaker 14 may be disposed withinseparate housing enclosures 156, the individual solid-state circuitbreakers 14 may share one or more inputs or conduction pathways witheach other.

In some cases, the solid-state circuit breakers 14 may attach to a powerdistribution bus via plug-in connections, bolt-on connections, or thelike (e.g., terminal blocks 162). Furthermore, each of the solid-statecircuit breakers 14 may couple and/or power respective electrical loads16 via outputs from the respective terminal blocks 162. In this way, themultiple solid-state circuit breakers 14 may be supplied from a samepower supply 12 and protect and/or output to one or more electricalloads 16. Furthermore, each solid-state circuit breaker 14 may include adisplay 164. Each display 164 may present status information and/orsensed values associated with the respective solid-state circuit breaker14.

The enclosure 154 may provide a thermal management device 140 to beshared by each of the solid-state circuit breakers 14, such as a commonheatsink or common fan assembly (e.g., for active air conduction coolingmethods). The solid-state circuit breakers 14 may provide temperatecontrol to one or more of the solid-state circuit breakers 14 at asubstantially similar time. For example, the solid-state circuitbreakers 14 may mate with a common heatsink surface of the thermalmanagement device 140 by direct metal-to-metal contact between thecommon heatsink surface and each respective solid-state circuit breaker14 (e.g., a metal surface of each enclosure 156). In some cases, themetal-to-metal contact between the surfaces is smooth, is an interfaceof cross-hatch embossed patterns, or any combination of therein. Forexample, one solid-state circuit breaker 14 may use a smooth contactbetween the surfaces while a different solid-state circuit breaker 14may use a non-smooth contact between the surfaces.

Additionally or alternatively, a cradle that enables withdrawal of thesolid-state circuit breaker 14 from the enclosure 154 may be installedfor each solid-state circuit breaker 14 to improve ease of connection ordisconnection of the solid-state circuit breaker 14 from the common bus160 and/or thermal management device 140. For example, the cradle maycouple prongs of the solid-state circuit breaker 14 to prongs associatedwith the common bus 160 and/or the thermal management device 140. Thecradle may be designed to retrofit to the solid-state circuit breaker14. Similarly, the control system 18 may be coupled to the common bus160 and/or the thermal management device 140, while having a separatehousing to isolate the control system 18 from the solid-state circuitbreakers 14. The enclosure 154 assembly may be provided in a largeroverall enclosure with a power bus (e.g., a portion of the common bus160 disposed between the enclosure 154 and the power supply 12) topermit the common bus 160 to be fed from an adjacent enclosure, such asan adjacent motor control center, switchboard, switchgear powerdistribution bus, or the like.

It is noted that a hinged door is used for the example enclosure 156shown in FIG. 10. It should be understood that any suitable door orsystem may be used to control access to the solid-state circuit breaker14. For example, the enclosure 156 may enclose the solid-state circuitbreaker 14 such that a viewing window 166 is not present. Furthermore,the enclosure 156 may include a hinge on any side of the enclosure 156(e.g., left-side, right-side, top-side, bottom-side) or the like. Theenclosure 156 and/or the enclosure 154 may be of any suitable geometryand/or the wire gutters 158 may include any suitable wires associatedwith the solid-state circuit breaker 14, such as to improve organizationof the wires within the enclosure 154.

It is noted that the solid-state circuit breaker 14 may be controlled bythe control system 18 using a variety of communication methods, and thusthe common bus 160 and/or the wire gutters 158 may include a variety ofcommunicative couplings to permit communication between respectivesolid-state circuit breakers 14 and the control system 18. For example,the communication methods may include using hardwired inputs and/orhardwired outputs, FIELDBUS® networks (e.g., controller area network(CAN), CANBUS®), Ethernet networks (e.g., Ethernet/IP, MODBUS®transmission control protocol (TCP)), wireless communications, nearfield communications (e.g., BLUETOOTH®, ZIGBEE®, or Mesh-typecommunications), or the like. It is also noted that the solid-statecircuit breaker 14 may interface to a graphical user interfaceassociated with a centralized control system and/or engineeringworkstation communicatively coupled to the control system 18.

Additionally or alternatively, the solid-state circuit breaker 14 mayalso include an internal control system within the housing unit 110and/or each enclosure 156. The internal control system may perform localcontrol operations, such as opening the solid-state circuit breaker 14in case of internally detected fault or other local operating condition.When both the internal control system and the control system 18 areused, the internal control system may respond to local (e.g.,micro-scale) operating conditions while the control system 18 mayrespond to global and/or system-level (e.g., macro-scale, unit-wide)operating conditions. In this way, when the control system 18 detects afault upstream of the solid-state circuit breaker 14, the control system18 may generate one or more commands (e.g., control commands) to causethe solid-state circuit breaker 14 to operate (e.g., open in case of afault condition) in response to the system-level operating condition.Similarly, when the internal control system detects a fault internal tothe housing unit 110, the internal control system may operate thesolid-state circuit breaker 14 to open. The internal control system, insome cases, may operate the solid-state circuit breaker 14 withoutexplicit command from the control system 18 (e.g., independent ofcontrol command from a processor of the control system 18) and maynotify the control system 18 after operating the solid-state circuitbreaker 14 of the fault and/or operation (e.g., by generating anotification and/or message after the opening of the solid-state circuitbreaker 14). The control system 18 may even perform an operation inresponse to the notification from the internal control system. Forexample, the control system 18 may further disconnect the electricalload from the power supply 12 by opening a switch in response to thenotification, such as galvanic disconnecting devices 84 coupled betweenthe power supply and the solid-state circuit breaker 14. The internalcontrol system of the solid-state circuit breaker 14 may also operate aportion of the solid-state circuit breaker 14. For example, the SiCswitches of the solid-state circuit breaker 14 may be able to bepartially driven by the internal control system. This may permit achange in output on each of various output load lines of the solid-statecircuit breaker, such that a first line (L1) and/or first terminal (T1)may output a voltage at a different frequency and/or at a different timethan a second line (L2), a second terminal (T2), third line (L3), and/ora third terminal (T3). It is noted that in some cases, the solid-statecircuit breaker 14 may use firmware to change a relative phase and/oramplitude of the output electrical signals relative to the inputelectrical signals, such as to drive the motor 36 according to a forwardstarting configuration or a reverse starting configuration. In this way,the solid-state circuit breaker 14 may be capable of reversing arotation associated with its output phases without using the contactors88.

Furthermore, different operators may have different levels ofauthentication that permit the different operators varying controland/or access levels to the operation of the solid-state circuit breaker14. Indeed, some operator profiles (e.g., user profiles) may havedifferent levels of access to information associated with operation ofthe solid-state circuit breaker 14. For example, some operators may havehigher or lower permission profiles than other operators. Differentpermission profiles may permit some operators to operate the solid-statecircuit breaker 14 (e.g., using the control system 18) to open or closeand/or check a status of the solid-state circuit breaker 14, while someoperators are permitted to check the status of the solid-state circuitbreaker 14 without having permission to operate the solid-state circuitbreaker 14 open or close. The permission profiles may also be used incombination with the mechanical device 112 and/or interlocking circuitryof the solid-state circuit breaker 14 to selectively permit or denyaccess to the solid-state circuit breaker 14.

In some cases, the permission profiles may be used to provide a firstuser with a first level of control associated with the solid-statecircuit breaker 14 and to provide a second user with a second level ofcontrol associated with the solid-state circuit breaker 14, where thefirst level of control and the second level of control may be different.User profiles may define a level of control assigned to the respectiveuser. For example, a user having a first characterization may bepermitted to access hardware and software of a solid-state circuitbreaker 14 while a different user having a second characterization maybe permitted to only access hardware of the solid-state circuit breaker14 without having permission to access software of the solid-statecircuit breaker 14. User authorization levels may be maintained via thedifferent characterizations of users and stored within a user profileaccessible by control circuitry of a motor control center. Furthermore,user authorization levels may be device-specific (e.g., such that oneoperator trained on a solid-state circuit breaker 14 may or may not haveauthorization to operate on a chain of solid-state circuit breakers 14),unit-specific (e.g., referring to a portion of an industrial automationfacility-such that operators may be set to operate within specificportions of the industrial automation system), or any suitablegranularity of operation or control. In some cases, user authorizationlevels may be set to expire after a duration of time, which maycorrespond to training procedures associated with the industrialautomation facility. For example, an operator may be trained on how toremove the solid-state circuit breaker 14 but that training may need tobe renewed each year anniversary of the original training. In somecases, the control system 18 may determine when that operator is tryingto access the solid-state circuit breaker 14 and inform the operatorthat the training is set to expire, or, when a current date or time is athreshold of time close to the expiration date or time, is close toexpiring. Furthermore, when the training of the operator expires, thecontrol system 18 may adjust or remove the authorization granted to theoperator (e.g., the control system 18 may update the user profile toreflect the change in authorization).

In some cases, a solid-state circuit breaker 14 may also be operatedusing selective coordination schemes. For example, a group ofsolid-state circuit breakers 14 may be logically grouped on someelectrical loads 16, such as elevators, life-critical loads, standbypower systems, high-value assets, or the like, as a way manage powersupplied to the electrical loads 16 during abnormal electricalconditions. Two devices that monitor overcurrent and/or overvoltageconditions may be selectively coordinated (e.g., operated in accordancewith and/or using selective coordination schemes) when a downstreamovercurrent device relatively nearest to a fault opens before acorresponding upstream overcurrent device opens. Overcurrent protectionschemes may use one or more solid-state circuit breakers 14, one or moredifferent protection devices, or any combination thereof, to protect theelectrical loads 16.

Technical effects of the present disclosure include techniques forprotecting an electrical load from abnormal operation, transients,overvoltage, or the like, that may affect power supplied to theelectrical load. A solid-state circuit breaker may be included upstreamfrom an electrical load. The solid-state circuit breaker may bemanufactured to not use mechanical switching to electrically isolate itsoutput from its input. Reducing or eliminating use of mechanicalswitching may reduce a likelihood of arc flash and/or reduce a severityof exposed incident energy if an arc flash were to occur. Furthermore, acontrol system may communicatively couple to the solid-state circuitbreaker and may receive operational indications and/or statuses from thesolid-state circuit breaker. The control system may update a model(e.g., a model rendered on a display) using information received fromthe solid-state circuit breaker in real-time. This model may be used tosupport real-time updates of a motor control center (MCC) model andelectrical statuses of respective solid-state circuit breakers,providing for an improved monitoring and deployment solution of MCCmonitoring technologies.

While only certain features of the presently disclosed embodiments havebeen illustrated and described herein, many modifications and changeswill occur to those skilled in the art. It is, therefore, to beunderstood that the appended claims are intended to cover all suchmodifications and changes as fall within the true spirit of theembodiments described herein.

1. A motor starter, comprising: a metal enclosure configured to house asolid-state circuit breaker, wherein the solid-state circuit breaker isconfigured to respectively couple between a power supply and a motor;and a thermal management device comprising a plurality of fins, whereinthe thermal management device is mounted to the solid-state circuitbreaker in a north-south orientation perpendicular to a ground plane,and wherein the thermal management device is configured to reduce atemperature of the metal enclosure while the solid-state circuit breakerperforms one or more switching operations.
 2. The motor starter of claim1, wherein the thermal management device is configured to leverageconduction of heat from the solid-state circuit breaker through passiveair conduction or active air conduction.
 3. The motor starter of claim1, wherein the thermal management device is configured to thermallyconnect to the solid-state circuit breaker via a heat pipe design. 4.The motor starter of claim 1, wherein the thermal management device isconfigured to couple to the solid-state circuit breaker via a directmetal-to-metal contact.
 5. The motor starter of claim 4, wherein themetal-to-metal contact comprises a smooth contact, an interface ofcross-hatch embossed patterns, or both.
 6. The motor starter of claim 1,comprising: a control system communicatively coupled to the powersupply, the motor, and the solid-state circuit breaker, wherein thecontrol system is configured to perform operations comprising:initiating a soft-start operation according to a start-up profileassociated with the motor; receiving an operational status from thesolid-state circuit breaker during the soft-start operation; receivingan indication of the temperature from one or more sensors; and adjustingan operation of the solid-state circuit breaker based on the operationalstatus and the temperature.
 7. The motor starter of claim 6, wherein thecontrol system is configured to adjust the operation of the solid-statecircuit breaker based on the operational status and the temperature atleast in part by: comparing the temperature to a threshold value; inresponse to determining that the temperature is greater than thethreshold value, generating a control signal to open at least one poleassociated with the solid-state circuit breaker; and transmitting thecontrol signal to the solid-state circuit breaker.
 8. The motor starterof claim 7, wherein the control system is configured to, in response todetermining that the temperature is greater than the threshold value,transmit an additional control signal to upstream protection circuitryto open to isolate the solid-state circuit breaker from a power source.9. The motor starter of claim 6, comprising a handle coupled to themetal enclosure, wherein the control system is configured to permitremoval of the solid-state circuit breaker based on a combination of aposition of the handle and the operational status.
 10. A motor controlcenter, comprising: a plurality of enclosures, wherein each enclosure ofthe plurality of enclosures comprises a solid-state circuit breaker, andwherein the solid-state circuit breaker of each enclosure of theplurality of enclosure is configured to respectively couple between apower supply and one or more electrical loads; and a common thermalmanagement device mounted to the plurality of enclosures, wherein theplurality of enclosures is disposed on the common thermal managementdevice, and wherein the common thermal management device is configuredto reduce a temperature of the plurality of enclosures while at leastone of a plurality of solid-state circuit breakers associated with theplurality of enclosures performs one or more switching operations. 11.The motor control center of claim 10, wherein the common thermalmanagement device is configured to respectively couple to each of theplurality of enclosures via a direct metal-to-metal connection.
 12. Themotor control center of claim 10, comprising a processor configured to:receive an instruction to perform a soft-start operation using arespective solid-state circuit breaker of the plurality of solid-statecircuit breakers, wherein the soft-start operation is associated with arespective electrical load of the one or more electrical loads; inresponse to receiving the instruction, initiate the soft-start operationvia the respective solid-state circuit breaker; receive an indication ofthe temperature; and adjust an operation of the respective solid-statecircuit breaker based on the temperature.
 13. The motor control centerof claim 12, wherein the processor is configured to: perform thesoft-start operation via the respective solid-state circuit breaker;receive additional information during the soft-start operation; and inresponse to determining that the temperature is greater than a firstthreshold value and that the additional information is greater than asecond threshold value, adjust the operation of the respectivesolid-state circuit breaker at least in part by: generating a controlsignal configured to open a portion of the respective solid-statecircuit breaker; and transmitting the control signal to the respectivesolid-state circuit breaker.
 14. The motor control center of claim 13,wherein the additional information comprises a phase-phase voltage, aphase-to-ground voltage, an input current, an output current, afrequency, a power output, an open status of the respective solid-statecircuit breaker, or any combination thereof.
 15. The motor controlcenter of claim 13, wherein the processor is configured to: in responseto receiving the instruction, receive an additional indication of anadditional temperature associated with the respective electrical load;and adjust an additional operation of the respective solid-state circuitbreaker based on the additional temperature associated with therespective electrical load and the temperature associated with therespective solid-state circuit breaker.
 16. A method, comprising:receiving, via a processor, an operational status from a solid-statecircuit breaker during an operation of the solid-state circuit breaker;receiving, via the processor, an indication of a temperature associatedwith the solid-state circuit breaker from one or more measurementcircuits coupled to one or more parts of the solid-state circuit breakerduring the operation; and adjusting, via the processor, the operation ofthe solid-state circuit breaker based on the operational status and thetemperature.
 17. The method of claim 16, comprising: determining, viathe processor, a threshold value based on a historical temperatureaverage associated with the solid-state circuit breaker, wherein thesolid-state circuit breaker comprises silicon-carbide; comparing, viathe processor, the temperature to the threshold value; and adjusting,via the processor, the operation of the solid-state circuit breakerbased on the operational status and the temperature at least in part bygenerating a control signal configured to adjust the operation of thesolid-state circuit breaker based on the comparison and the operationalstatus.
 18. The method of claim 16, comprising: receiving, via theprocessor, an indication of metering data associated with thesolid-state circuit breaker during a soft-start operation; andadjusting, via the processor, the operation of the solid-state circuitbreaker based on the operational status, the temperature, and themetering data.
 19. The method of claim 18, wherein the metering datacomprises phase-phase voltage, a phase-to-ground voltage, an inputcurrent, an output current, a frequency, a power output, or anycombination thereof.
 20. The method of claim 16, comprising: accessing,via the processor, a thermal model associated with an electrical load ofthe solid-state circuit breaker, the solid-state circuit breaker, orboth; and adjusting, via the processor, the operation of the solid-statecircuit breaker based on the operational status, the temperature, andthe thermal model.